Entry № 5893 · Spanish origin

Teresa Teresa — Meaning, Origin & Baby Name Popularity

/ teh-REH-sah /
Gender
Girl
Origin
Spanish
Meaning
"Harvester; from the island of Therasia"
Syllables
3
Rank · US 2025
№ 698
First recorded
Medieval (Spanish)

A name that means "harvester; from the island of therasia".

Teresa is the Spanish form of Theresa — of disputed origin, possibly from the Greek therizein (to harvest) or from the small Greek island of Therasia near Santorini. Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582), the Spanish Carmelite mystic and reformer, gave the name worldwide Catholic resonance. Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997) brought the name modern global humanitarian fame.

Teresa has been continuously in the U.S. top 500 for over a century. Today it sits in the U.S. top 700 — quietly used, with the deepest possible Catholic association.

Saint Teresa of Ávila, the Carmelite mystic. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

The name in its native script.

Teresa
Transliteration
Teresa
Pronunciation
/ təˈriː.sə /
Root
Grammatical form

Where Teresa stands.

Current rank · 2025
№ 698 in the U.S.
All-time peak
№ 56 in 1962
Babies named Teresa · last year
412 in the U.S.
First entered SSA top-1000
1880
Rank, 1995–2025 Lower = more popular
№25 №75 №150 №250 1995 2005 2015 2020 2025 PEAK · №56 NOW · №698

Teresas before her.

Real people
Saint Teresa of Ávila
Spanish Carmelite mystic, Doctor of the Church.
1515 – 1582
Mother Teresa
Albanian-Indian Catholic missionary. Nobel Peace Prize 1979.
1910 – 1997
In fiction
Teresa
Common contemporary character name.

Names connected to Teresa.

The number behind Teresa.

1

The Pioneer

Teresa reduces to one — the number of devoted singular focus.

Why families chose this name.

"Mother Teresa. Saint Teresa. The name carries two of the great women in Catholic history."
Maria · Mother of one · Madrid